Chris' Recent Journal

I had to wait for some time to get onto the ferry. Waiting is a killer, and boy did I wait for a long time. Riding the ferry was very interesting. I had a class C ticket, and if you can tell me what that means, it would be great. I wandered the boat wondering what was up until I just stood on the deck and enjoyed the view of the men loading the ferry. You try backing a semi into a boat. They were very skilled.

I sat so much that day and contemplated my situation and my life. It was a nice experience. I haven't done that in so long, it was just incredible. I figured that since I'd be going to an art school that I should produce something as an artist. I wrote a poem/story. It was nice. I was prepared from that point to arrive on the island. I think that I now have the ability to produce art and believe that it is good. The one I wrote on the ferry was an accomplishment for me.

After writing, I wandered the ferry looking for a warm place to sleep. However, anything that was above freezing was infested by smoking Greeks. I swear to god that they are the reason that the world grows tobacco. None of them would survive in New York. Damn the people that put tobacco in the hands of the Greeks!

After 6 hours on the ferry, we made it to the Paros port in Pariokia (note this can be spelled any of thousands of ways you choose). It was beautiful to see the boat coming into the port as everything was lit up, and it was just a beautiful site! It was the dawn of my fairy tale.

At the end of the ferry ride, I ran into a girl that had been traveling around the world on her own for 10 months. She was the only person I had seen in days that spoke fluent English, and we got on well. I agreed to help get her a place to stay (at least find the one she was looking for).

Jane Pack was standing there with the entire art group when I got off the boat. I was introduced to them all. I finally met Suzanne, who I had been talking to for months. She said that the girls were going out that night, and they wanted me to come.

Jane showed me to my apartment. Apparently, I had been given the biggest and most incredible apartment of them all. I was told how large it was compared to everyone else's. The bedroom had a huge bed, and I have a bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, a dining room and another random room that really serves no purpose that separates the house into three parts! The floors are marble as are the baseboards. I have a courtyard just outside with lawn furniture that will go on it when it gets warmer. I also have a fireplace. It is a quaint little place, and I'm excited to spend the next 3 months in it!

We went out to a bar called Karen's. Karen is a bar tender from Ireland, and she lives in Greece. She was completely hilarious, and I spent a nice night drinking water and meeting everyone. We then went to the other town hot spot, where I met more people and found a computer for the first time! I emailed Jared and checked out what else it was that I had in that department.

Jared has been wonderful for this whole trip handling anything and everything that he can! I went to bed at 4:00 AM. I slept until 10:00. Now, I do warn you that living in Greece has its quirky little things. I woke up to a freezing house (literally it was under 32 degrees) and no water. I went out to seek a way to get my water on. If you ask Jared, he will be able to tell you some of the adventurous things that I have been through. You take things for granted like being able to lock a door (locks are not even close to normal here) and being able to take a shower with a showerhead that is attached to the wall (we hold them here). You also take for granted porch lights and warm showers. Learn that when you travel, these things are not always dependable. I will save the details for a piece of art later!

I spent the day exploring this beautiful island I somehow managed to land myself in. I saw an ancient temple and a graveyard. I saw some beautiful green water and windmills that have been used to make electricity. Best of all, I walked all around a church called the Church of a Hundred Doors. It is the oldest continually used church in Christendom. Fancy that. It's on my island. I'm so privileged.

I went out to a bar that night again and met some Greek people. The people here have different viewpoints on life than the normal American, and I cannot say to you how beautiful it all is to me. I also talked to some Albanians, for which, my second piece of writing was made (read it on my blog).

I spent the rest of the day exploring what is called boogatza. It is the most delectable Greek pastry ever. Eat it if you can find it. I've never tasted anything so wonderful. And now my journal is going to consist of things I write to Jared.

This was what happened today.
Jared, It's just amazing that I'm sitting here on a Greek Island doing what I wish, and you are there working. I would just be dying right now if you were in a job that you hated. I can't tell you how happy I am that I get this opportunity to do this, and it's so great that you're over there taking care of me. No one else has the advantage there (well, parents), and I just think of how grateful I am to have what you're doing. Thank you so much.

I did decide to do some painting, so that set me back about 50 Euro because I had to buy all of my supplies, sorry about that, I should have gotten everything in the US, but it was just a whim thing, and I really think I'm going to learn how to succeed here as an artist. It's so important as to who I am.

This experience is amazing. I am starting to open up a lot. I'm finding that there are several things that I find that I am missing here. They are as follows. 1.) Fingernail clippers. I keep breaking those suckers and I want to cut them all off. 2.) Art supplies, of course I chose to take the painting classes! 3.) I laptop or at least our palm so that I can write where I please. I have become a most prolific writer here.

Something very unfortunate happened today. Someone graffitied our building last night, and we spent a lot of the day sorting that out. It was some Canadian person that was drunk and crazy. It sanded right off, and I believe that he will be deported from Greece! I learned a lot about restoring buildings though because John had to restore the building the school is in. He did it in neoclassical style, and it is beautiful. The paint is frescoed on. It's not just painted on. It's a part of the wall! I want to get into that stuff.

Today was my first day of classes for real, and it was just fabulous. This is the schedule I have taken on.
Monday:
10:00 Figure Drawing
18:00 Writing
Tuesday:
10:00 Photography
13:00 Painting
18:00 Art History

Wednesday:
10:00 Figure Drawing
14:00 History of Photography
16:30 Digital Class
18:00 Literature

Thursday:
10:00 Basic Drawing
12:30 Photography
13:00 Painting
18:00 Writing

Friday: COOLIO hikes with John. They sound AWESOME.

I'm also going to do some mosaic classes, but the instructor is on maternity leave right now! My figure drawing class was incredible. I've never drawn a nude model before, and it was actually great. I learned so much and the instructor really broke it down for me to really understand it. I actually got the hang of it, and my things really looked like people. Drawing is a subject I really want to conquer this term because I have all the help and experience backing me in the world.

I also discovered that John (the director of the school) worked closely with Ansel Adams. NEATO! He's got some great work.

Things have gotten even quirkier really! I took a very cold shower this morning. We can't figure out how to get my hot water to work. I turned on the hot water heater, and after 12 hours of heating, I got 1 minute of hot water. It's just kind of funny. I'm learning more and more about how to close a door every day here. I've got the locks to my apartment down, but getting into the school is impossible at this point!

I was going to have to buy a coat because it has been incredibly cold here, but I went into the old student lost and found and found one, so I'm going to at least borrow it until it gets warmer. It's a very nice jacket though!

I love quirky apartments. I'm just glad it's not one that we bought. Our house is just perfect! Keep making it more and more clean. I have a cleaning lady that comes to handle mine once a week, but I'm spotless anyway!

If only you were here to sort out disasters with our network here. I guess there are a lot of little quirks in that too. It seems to be a motto here in Greece. I learned of this term that I have been observing so heavily. It's a state of mind called Ti-na-kanomay. This is the motto of the Greek service industry. It basically means, we'll get to it no worries, no rush. That idea at least.

I also got the great pleasure of dining Greek today. I discovered it is much cheaper to get the Greeks to make me lunch. You can get a Greek meal for less than 2 Euro. This stuff is GREAT. I had a chicken pita sandwich with yogurt inside. It was delicious. I now know where to eat lunch. Other than that, I have been surviving on bananas and yogurt. Both very cheap but delectable items here. Really worth trying.

I also discovered a great Greek item that is worth any part of the trip. It is called a Boogatza (that's how it sounds). This is the most incredible pasty item you have ever tasted. I am going to learn how to cook it when I get home for all of my friends. This week is Carnival, and I am told that the bakeries will be making this fresh every day, and I can get it warm. I am SO into Carnival! The food here sounds delectable, and I can't wait to devour it!

I have learned here the importance of art in life. It's what runs you. I am going to post my first writing piece tonight. It's something you can appreciate. As I was looking at anthologies of past art students, I realized that this man that is teaching my class has had the great honor of teaching students that you have taught. Three of them to be exact. I wonder if he notices any difference. He chopped my piece of writing. I left a little discouraged, but I'm going to make it even better!

I love this little town. The best thing so far for me is the fact that you can walk around saying "yasas" to everyone. That is the Greek version of hello. Unlike in America, you make eye contact and wish the person walking a good day. It is only the polite thing to do, and you get a quick "yasas" back or a "calimara," which means "good day." It's so nice to be in a town where the people acknowledge each other's presence.

These notes are my daily journal, and also partially what I am going to post on my blog, so be warned. A lot of this stuff is the raw inspiration I plan to use in my writing class!

Ya Hara
Chris